Nitrates derogation move will damage viability of 3,000 farms

Denis Drennan, deputy president of ICMSA, says that the move to force farmers to spread less nitrate per hectare will cause farmers needless hardship for no environmental gain. He explains why to reporter Denis Lehane

Nitrates derogation debate: Farmers don't accept the logic of moving from 250kg/ha to 220kg/ha of nitrate spreading, especially as scientific modelling from Teagasc shows that the advantage from a water quality point of view is minimal.

Denis Drennan, the deputy president of the ICMSA, is vehemently opposed to the recently announced cut to the Nitrates Derogation limit which currently stand at 250kg/ha.

And while the Kilkenny dairy farmer is strongly against the cut, he is not opposed to farmers doing their bit on environmental issues.